As a society we appear to be at a breaking point and more are asking, “What can I do to make my mark in the world? How can I be of service?”
Here we’ll share 31 personal benefits of kindness and generosity. In fact, science shows the benefits are greater for the giver than the recipient.
Let’s dive right into it.
1. You Feel Good About Yourself
Doing good things feels really good and lifts your spirit.
People in studies report higher levels of self-esteem after acts of kindness. These effects of oxytocin will stay with you for hours afterwards.
2. The “Helper’s High”
The release of endorphins (your natural mood-elevating and pain-reducing chemicals produced by the brain) when you engage in an act of generosity is known as “the helper’s high”.
3. Begins A Giving And Receiving Energetic Circuit
When you give, you’re soon likely to receive also, even if it’s from your physical and mental health.
Several studies, including work by sociologists Brent Simpson and Robb Willer, suggested that when you give to others, your generosity is soon likely to be rewarded by others down the line—sometimes by the one you gave to, sometimes by another person.
This is true when the giving is shared without the expectation of having it returned.
4. Giving Promotes Cooperation and Social Connection
An exchange of kindness promotes a sense of trust and cooperation, strengthening your relationships with others.
5. The Ripple Effect
A major benefit of kindness is that the love spreads all ways.
After your act of kindness, you have a sense of happiness and pride. They receive a meaningful impact on their day, and those who witnessed your kindness, in turn, are more likely to be aware that they too have the power to assist their neighbors.
In fact, science backs up this kindness “ripple effect”.
6. A More Positive Outlook
Your outlook on life plays a huge part in how happy you are. The moment you believe you have the power to make a difference to someone, you’re probably going to enjoy your life much more.
7. A Mentally Healthier You
People with altruistic qualities experience a decreased sense of hopelessness, less depression, and increased self-esteem.
It’s also known that acting on pure love and generosity from the heart, makes it impossible to feel anxiety and stress.
8. You Make The World A Better Place
This benefit alone is good enough reason to give. You matter.
Who wouldn’t want to live in a better place? And who wouldn’t want their footprint on earth to do more good than harm?
9. True Success Is More Likely
When you’ve been kind, people remember you. You had a lasting positive impact on them.
Volunteering can also help give you career experience and can expose you to new opportunities, people, places, networks, organization, and internships.
10. Find Your Purpose
When you focus your effort on what you can give or how you can help, you’re likely to create and produce something of value.
Meaning and purpose arise in your life when it’s not just all about you. You harness this power in your life through kindness and contribution.
11. Solves Problems
Kindness and generosity can solve problems and is often a simple solution to many conflicts.
You can’t control others, but you can control yourself. So when you interact with other people, how you handle situations and conflicts can make a big impact.
A little kindness can go a long way to help. And if nothing is solved, at least you didn’t make it worse.
12. Making A Lasting Difference
You want to be the one that doesn’t just lead an excellent life, but leaves a legacy behind.
Leave the world better than when you entered it. At the very least, your life wasn’t in vain. You did your part to make the world a better place.
13. Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Yes, you’ll be putting yourself out there.
You’ll do things you’ve never done, and not just talk and interact with new people, but show love for them, something that’s a lot deeper than most are used to.
14. It Changes And Grows You
Every potential act of kindness is a free opportunity for growth.
It challenges you and makes you step out of your comfort zone. Kindness can seem hard when it’s easier to be angry, mean, vengeful or just indifferent.
15. You Learn
You learn fundamental skills about love, giving, and relationships. Skills can also include problem solving, project planning, task management, and organization.
16. Giving Evokes Gratitude
Whether you’re on the giving or receiving end, kindness and generosity can elicit feelings of gratitude.
Research has found that gratitude is integral to happiness, health, and balaned relationships.
17. Satisfaction With What You Have
It’s more likely, if you’re the generous type, to feel more satisfied with your possessions.
Acts of giving are a sign that you don’t believe in lack or that having more money would make you happier.
18. Increases Your Lifespan
Being giving has been correlated with a lowered risk of mortality in older adults because of all the wellness benefits.
19. Lowers Your Blood Pressure
Volunteering will significantly decrease your blood pressure, stomach acid, and cholesterol levels, and increase Immunoglobulin-A, boosting your immune system.
20. Helps Alleviate Illness
If diseases are associated with inflammation in the body, and oxytocin (“feel good” hormone) reduces inflammation, then being kind could prevent illness.
21. Increases Your Overall Energy
About half of those in a study reported they felt stronger and more energetic after helping others.
22. Decreases Pain In The Body
Several recent studies have found that being generous increases our ability to cope with physical pain and symptoms of chronic diseases.
23. Lowers Your Cortisol Levels
Cortisol is a stress hormone. Volunteering has been correlated with decreased symptoms of stress, and better sleep.
24. Increases Your Mood And Relationship Satisfaction
Research shows having positive interactions with others is central to reducing loneliness and contributes to good mental and physical health.
As researcher John Cacioppo writes in his book Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection, “The more extensive the reciprocal altruism born of social connection . . . the greater the advance toward health, wealth, and happiness.”
25. Decreases Anxiety Levels With Social Interaction
A group of highly anxious individuals performed at least six acts of kindness a week.
After one month, there was a significant increase in positive moods, relationship satisfaction and a decrease in group avoidance in socially anxious individuals.
26. Increases Your Level Of Satisfaction With Your Life
When you no longer drift through life trying to make it from point A to point B, you’re leaving love and beauty along your path. Rather than leave destruction or even no trace.
Plant seeds along the way that you can look back on and see a garden has grown.
27. It Can Be Fun
Who says giving, kindness, and volunteer work have to be boring? After all, most volunteer activities are community based and can be quite enjoyable.
28. Meet New People
You can make new friends through volunteering and deepen old friendships too by bringing along a friend or a few!
29. It Can Change Your Life
One woman, as an example, who decided to bring goodie bags for all passengers and flights on a flight for her birthday.
She made the news and now, her focus is spreading the word of kindness, giving talks around the country. Her life was changed and she found purpose.
30. See The World From Another Point Of View
You learn more about others, their lifestyles and cultures. You learn how to communicate and connect better by developing, building and growing deeper relationships.
31. Why Not?
After all, you live here. Just like you clean your house to make it a better place to live, the same can be done for your neighborhood, community, family, town, country, your world.
We all live on it and share it. The more we improve, the bigger the impact and better all our lives become.
You hold that kind of power.
What Is The Meaning Of Kind And Generous?
There’s a subtle distinction. Generosity is typically a reference to your willingness to give.
Being kind is more broad, and can include being generous with your kindness. You will generally be forgiving, not easily angered, loving, inclusive, and generous.
With kindness you genuinely choose to share the love in your heart to others.
Merriam-Webster dictionary says this:
Generous: liberal in giving; marked by abundance or ample proportions; characterized by a noble or kindly spirit.
Kind: of a sympathetic or helpful nature; arising from or characterized by sympathy or forbearance; of a kind to give pleasure or relief.
What Is The Difference Between Kindness And Generosity?
There’s an interrelationship between these two words as kindness can refer to being generous and being generous can always include giving with kindness.
The key distinction is kindness refers to being nice, helpful to, and considerate of others, whereas generosity refers to the action of giving something, either abstract or concrete.
Comforting a crying child, opening a door for someone, and smiling to others are examples of kindness. The action of donating money or time to a charity and giving food to a homeless person are examples of generosity.
Kindness And Generosity Similarities
Both kindness and generosity are virtues you can cultivate.
One of the underlying qualities that motivates us to give is kindness—a quality that takes an active interest in the welfare of others through helpful acts, friendliness, hospitality, and a warmhearted demeanor.
Kindness is the motivation for generosity, which is defined as the quality of being selfless and willing to give freely without expecting any follow up in return.
The main similarity is they both result in happiness.
How Do You Become A Kind And Generous Person?
Generosity takes a lot more than pressing a “like” button, a drawing of a thumbs up or a drawing of a heart.
It takes stepping out of your comfort zone and facing your fears of rejection, failure, attention, vulnerability, uncertainty, and potential hurt feelings. Change can follow more kindness.
Kindness and generosity are two virtues we can all cultivate in our lives.
To be able to give in that way analyze your motives for giving, quell the ego that fuels your pride, and change the perception you have of others.
For a truly selfless person, the results of giving count, no matter who does it. In other words, be just as happy if someone else gives with kindness and generosity as you would be if you had a part in it yourself.
Is it easy to have that kind of mindset? Not always. But it certainly has its rewards.
In What Ways Do You Show Your Kindness And Generosity?
Some believe that true, selfless kindness and generosity, with no expectation of something in return, doesn’t exist.
The truth is, more people are feeling something missing in their lives and are asking, “how can I serve?”
Consider the needs of those around you and what your resources are. Then take forward action and never expect anything in return.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Being kind and generous begins with you
- Smile or say hello to those you pass by
- Express empathy with someone going through challenges
- Think of who might benefit from a handwritten card or letter
- Make a meal for one who’s grieving or has serious health issues
- Offer your services for free
- Follow those who are kind and generous
- Clear clutter in your home. Let go of what’s no longer serving you and donate those items to those in need.
Kindness And Generosity Quotes
Some motivating quotes may help:
- “Carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day, someone might do the same for you.” – Princess Diana
- “The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose.” – Hada Bejar
- “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” – Amelia Earhart
- “The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” – author, Samuel Johnson.
- “For it is in giving that we receive.” – St. Francis of Assisi
- “Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, ‘you owe me.’ Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky.” – Hafiz of Shiraz
Bringing more kindness and generosity into your life, without expectation, not only creates a better world, it’s created because of you. You hold the power to do that.
If this article inspired you to choose more kindness and generosity, forward it to friends who could benefit too or share your comments ✅ with us.
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